Winter Farmers Markets- Yes There Is Such a Thing!

The weather outside might be frightful but the produce is still delightful and if you don’t know where to go, let us help, let us help, let us help!

Okay, now let’s get serious, farmers markets are becoming more and more popular but many people seem to think they lose its lust when we lose the sun.  However, this is far from the truth, lucky for us, winter farmers markets are sprouting up all over the country. Although the summer farmers markets are known for the juicy ripe red tomatoes, many forget what the winter farmers markets have to offer.

Root vegetables, squash and many greens are in fact available and found most delicious in the wintertime. The winter farmers markets are also stocked with fresh baked goods, canned jams, pickled vegetables, fresh cheeses, and organic meats as well as hot and ready to go foods. Farmers Markets are becoming increasingly more popular around the country whether it is in the summertime or wintertime and fruits like apples and citrus are common in states like California and Florida in the winter months.

To reduce the carbon footprint of produce being grown elsewhere, US shipping companies are getting more efficient in making it easier for you to buy directly from the US rather than other countries for your winter produce. In 2008, over 4 million people used resources  such as LocalHarvest.org  a website built to link family farms and consumers in order to facilitate many people  to easily locate locally grown food helping anyone, anywhere connect to local farms and farmers markets. So just because the sun is slowly fading away, the fresh produce from farmers markets doesn’t have to, you just have to know where to look.

Go Green on Hallo-Ween!

Ghosts, goblins, vampires OH MY! It’s that time of year again to invest in Halloween supplies. However, this year there are many ways to make it eeeko-fashionable by making Halloween code green for the environment.

Get creative and try DIY costumes. You will be surprised at how many ideas can spring from things lying around the house whether it be objects for props or items of clothes that can be transformed. We suggest you rummage through thrift stores to get the biggest bang for your buck or ask a friend to swap costumes from last year. If you want to take it to the next level, host a Halloween costume exchange with all your friends.

If you are hosting parties try to avoid disposables- cups, napkins, plates, tablecloths.

Recycle your broken LED string lights by contacting LED.com (you’ll even receive 15% discount coupon, woot!).

Choose 100% beeswax or soy candles because candled made of paraffin wax emit over 11 toxins when lit!

Buy your pumpkin from a farmers market.

Don’t waste your pumpkin skin when you are done carving your jack-o-lantens. Turn the mush into a fabulous pumpkin soup. After using as much as the pumpkin as possible, we recommend that you compost carved pumpkins and any other leftover Halloween candy.

Hopefully these tips help you host a green Halloween for you and your friends and family to enjoy. Don’t forget to Tweet about your Halloween eeeko friendly ideas so others can enjoy a green Halloween J